Before the 2026 World Cup kicked off, Cabo Verde was considered one of the weakest teams in the tournament. Falling into Group H with Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, the African representative was almost not expected to be able to compete for a ticket to the next round.
However, Cabo Verde wrote a fairy tale right in their first appearance at the biggest football festival on the planet. Bubista's team opened with a draw against Spain, before continuing to hold Uruguay to a draw.
In the last match, Cabo Verde completed their mission when they drew against Saudi Arabia, thereby finishing the group stage with 3 points and second place in Group H to win the right to enter the round of 16.
This becomes even more impressive if you look at Cabo Verde's position before the tournament. They do not have many famous stars, modest squad value and almost do not appear in predictions about teams with the ability to create surprises.
The ticket to the knockout round is a worthy reward for the courageous fighting spirit, tactical discipline and brave playing style that Cabo Verde has shown throughout the group stage. From the position of a team considered a "underdog", Cabo Verde has become a major phenomenon of the 2026 World Cup.
The next challenge for the African representative will be the confrontation with defending champion Argentina in the round of 16. Despite being rated much lower than Lionel Messi and his teammates, Cabo Verde has every reason to nurture hopes of continuing to create surprises after what they have shown since the beginning of the tournament.
